Hi I read this topic with interest. from personal experience, bankruptcy can cause a whole heap of trouble in the furture. if you are going to go down that route please make sure you dont get anything out in a joint name with your partner because if you do your creditors can go after it.

mbna especially will go after you and not let it go untill they have had their pound of flesh. that and the fact that they want to know everything. i owed my father £700 and paid him whilst the bankruptcy was pending. once the bankruptcy went through my case officer informed me that i had to prove that i borrowed money off my dad and the i owed it to him.... because it was a verbal agreement and couldnt be proved my dad ended up having to pay back the 700 to my creditors as apparently i had no right to give preferential treatment to my dad (ie pay him off first.)